Purpose Is the New Luxury

Virtuoso travel advisor Judi Chaitman of Overland Park, Kansas, sees a growing trend of travelers looking for more from their getaways.

Trips with lasting takeaways

Language immersion, contributing to conservation efforts, even sushi-making classes: “People who go to Hawaii don’t just want to sit around. They want to learn a lot,” she says. “I had a family with an 11-year-old come in, and he had a bucket list.” Chaitman recently worked with Artisans of Leisure to plan a trip to Japan for a family of three with a 16-year-old son. On the itinerary: a private karate lesson, a visit to a master swordsmith, and, yes, sushi making.

As Wilderness Safaris CEO Keith Vincent put it during Virtuoso’s inaugural Sustainability Summit last summer, “Purpose is the new luxury.” Here, two ways to give back and build new skills on your travels.

Wilderness Safaris is rolling out a suite of trips built around the “purpose is the new luxury” idea. The first, in Zambia, featured interactions with an antipoaching unit, rhino tracking and discussions about rhino conservation, and a visit to a school involved with the company’s Children in the Wilderness environmental and life-skills program. New safaris in Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe will be announced soon.

Artisans of Leisure offers a customizable roster of learning activities around the globe. In Japan, for instance, travelers can get instruction in traditional indigo dyeing and pottery making, among other things. Painting, meditation, paleontology, and more are on offer in locations throughout the world.